To all concerned parties:
We, the Teamsters Local 2010 Members First Slate protest the process used in the current Officers and Delegates elections and are concerned integrity has been compromised and approved rules are being violated
Upon receiving the ballots, it was discovered that the completed ballots are clearly legible to the eye when placed in both envelopes, as per instructions, and held to a household light. When an inquiry was made to IDO investigator, the following response was offered “Laura, I have discussed your email with a former attorney assigned to the IBT elections officer. It appears that the ballot in the photo has not been placed in the privacy sleeve provided prior to placing the ballot in the envelope. That sleeve is designed protect the ballot from being viewed through the envelope.” This same investigator later advised me that the “privacy sleeve” is the first envelope which is then placed inside the mailing envelope. Be it known to all concerned that there is NO privacy when both envelopes are so translucent that the ballot can be seen (and how the voter voted) through BOTH envelopes held to a bedroom light.
To all concerned parties, including those who use UniLect for their elections , there is no “privacy sleeve” when the ballot can be clearly viewed inside the “sleeve”. The instructions state:
“MAILING INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Once you have marked your choices, carefully remove the ballot stub receipt at the top of your Official Ballot along the perforation. Be careful not to tear the ballot.
DO NOT FOLD OR BEND YOUR OFFICIAL BALLOT. (2) Place your Official Ballot inside the Secret Ballot Envelope provided and firmly seal. (3) Insert the Secret Ballot Envelope into the larger WHITE Return Envelope provided addressed to Teamsters Local 2010 Officer Election 2025, UniLect Election Services Post Box 14388, Oakland CA.” ~ quotes from Officer Election Voting Instructions
UniLect has been working with numerous Locals for numerous elections over many years. This is not an “oversight”. And even if it were an oversight, it is completely negligent and irresponsible on UniLect’s part to “miss” the mark on the inclusion of a “privacy sleeve” necessary to ensure the integrity of our elections. This is also true of anyone assigned to ensure anonymity and fairness in our elections.
Our slate is absolutely COMMITTED to transparency of our Local Union’s business but NOT transparency of ballots seen through translucent envelopes.
Furthermore, we are requesting that the size of the Post Office Box used for this election “Oakland Post Office 94614-9806 boxes #14388 and # 14148 be evaluated for its ability to hold 17k + standard size mailing envelopes used for these elections as it is our understanding that the ballots are retrieved over the course of the election and placed in another box that is in UniLect’s possession until they are transferred to the Local for the ballot count. This contradicts the rules in the Local Union Election Plan which states “
Renting Mail Boxes for Returned Ballots and Undeliverable Ballots
The mail ballot procedure requires the local union to rent two post-office boxes:
One box to hold voted ballots returned by members. The ballots will collect in that post-office box and be held there until Election Day.
We feel the integrity of these elections fall short of anonymity and integrity and there is too much room for compromise – OUR MEMBERS DESERVE BETTER.
Laura Newman
- Candidate for President of Local 2010 Members First Slate
- Trustee Local 2010 Executive Board
- Treasurer Local 2010 Skilled Trades Board
- Steward at UCLA for K4 Bargaining Unit
Addendum to Protest No.1
